Deep Cleaning Checklist For Homes (Free, Printable)

Deep Clean Checklist

A deep clean is defined by what a regular clean never gets to: inside the appliances, behind the furniture, above head height and under the limescale. This is that list, so you can quote it as a distinct job rather than as a long regular clean.

Free, no signup, no email Prints to A4 Written for UK cleaning businesses

CleanFlo cleanflo.io/templates/deep-clean-checklist

Deep Clean Checklist

Everything here is outside a regular clean. Agree the scope before starting.

Property

Date

Cleaner(s)

Hours allowed

Agreed by

Throughout the property

Cobwebs removed from every ceiling, corner and light fitting
Light fittings and shades taken down where safe, washed and replaced
Ceiling and wall vents dusted and wiped
Picture rails, coving and door tops wiped
All doors, frames and handles washed
Skirting boards washed, including behind furniture where it can be moved
Radiators cleaned front, back and between the fins
Switches, sockets and thermostats cleaned
Internal windows cleaned including frames, sills, runners and hinges
Curtains vacuumed or taken down for laundering if agreed; blinds wiped slat by slat
Bannisters, spindles and handrails washed
Carpets vacuumed to the edges with the crevice tool, and under moveable furniture
Hard floors washed with attention to edges and corners

Kitchen

Oven interior degreased including roof, base, back and door glass
Oven shelves, runners and grill pan degreased
Hob dismantled where possible; burners and caps soaked
Extractor hood degreased and filter washed or replaced
Fridge and freezer emptied, defrosted, shelves and seals washed
Behind and under the fridge and cooker where they can be moved safely
Washing machine drum, seal and detergent drawer
Dishwasher filter, spray arms and seal
Microwave inside, roof and turntable
All cupboards emptied, wiped inside, and fronts degreased
Cupboard tops cleaned
Worktops cleaned and any sealant checked
Sink, taps and drainer descaled; plughole and overflow cleaned
Tile grout scrubbed; sealant treated for mould
Bin washed inside and out

Bathrooms

Full limescale removal from taps, shower head, screen, tiles and glass
Shower head soaked or descaled
Grout scrubbed throughout; sealant treated or reported if perished
Bath, basin and tray cleaned including overflow and underside of rims
Toilet fully cleaned including under the rim, hinges, cistern and pedestal base
Extractor fan cover removed and washed; vent cleared
Cabinets emptied and cleaned inside
Mirrors and glass polished
Towel rail and pipework cleaned
Floor washed including behind the pedestal and into corners

Bedrooms and living areas

Mattresses vacuumed and turned if requested
Under beds cleared and vacuumed
Upholstery vacuumed including under and behind cushions
Wardrobes and drawers emptied and wiped inside
Tops of wardrobes and high furniture dusted
Behind and under moveable furniture vacuumed
Mirrors and glass polished
Ornaments and picture frames dusted individually
Televisions, screens and remotes cleaned
Books and shelves dusted

What separates a deep clean from a regular clean

The distinction is not effort or time, it is reach. A regular clean maintains the surfaces a household uses every day. A deep clean addresses everything those visits deliberately skip: inside appliances, behind and under furniture, above head height, inside cupboards, and anything that has built up rather than been dropped.

Being explicit about that is what makes it sellable. A client who thinks a deep clean is "a really good regular clean" will judge it on how the kitchen worktop looks and wonder why it cost three times as much. A client who has read a list including the oven door glass and the extractor filter understands what they are buying.

It is also what protects the quote. A deep clean is the easiest job in domestic cleaning to underprice, because the scope keeps expanding while you are stood in the house.

Stop printing it

The same document, live on your cleaners' phones, ticked off as they work and filed against the job. £19.99 a month, unlimited staff, clients and locations.

Open the demo

No signup, no card · or start the 14-day trial

Send us what you have and we will import it for you, free, during the trial. Ask us to import it

How long a deep clean actually takes

Deep cleans are routinely quoted at regular-clean speed and then overrun, which turns a premium job into an unpaid one. These are realistic single-cleaner figures for an averagely maintained, occupied home.

Property	Regular clean	Deep clean
1 bed flat	1.5–2 hrs	4–6 hrs
2 bed flat or house	2–3 hrs	6–8 hrs
3 bed house	3–4 hrs	8–12 hrs
4 bed house	4–5 hrs	12–16 hrs

A neglected oven can add an hour on its own, and heavy limescale in a hard-water area can add two across the bathrooms. Survey before quoting where you can, and price the oven separately if you are not certain. The time estimator gives a build-up rather than a guess.

Setting the scope before you start

What furniture will be moved? Agree it, and do not move anything heavy alone.
Are the windows in scope, and externally? Interior only unless stated.
Are carpets and upholstery being washed, or only vacuumed? Washing is a separate service with separate equipment.
Is the property occupied and furnished? Cleaning around belongings is slower and cannot reach everything.
Who clears the clutter? A deep clean is not a decluttering service, and saying so in advance avoids the most common friction on the day.
How many cleaners, and for how long? Quote the total hours, not just the price, so an overrun is visible to both sides.

Frequently asked questions

01 What is included in a deep clean?

Everything a regular clean does not reach: inside the oven, fridge, washing machine and extractor; inside all cupboards; behind and under moveable furniture and appliances; high-level dusting and light fittings; full limescale removal in bathrooms and kitchen; grout and sealant; skirting boards, doors and frames; internal windows including frames and runners; and mattresses and upholstery vacuumed.

02 How much should I charge for a deep clean?

Deep cleans are normally priced by the hour or as a fixed price built from an hours estimate, at a higher hourly rate than regular cleaning because of the equipment, chemicals and physical demand. The most common pricing mistake is estimating deep-clean hours at regular-clean speed: a three-bedroom house is typically 8 to 12 cleaner-hours rather than the 3 to 4 of a regular visit.

03 How often should a house be deep cleaned?

Once or twice a year for a home already receiving regular cleaning, more often for larger households, pets, or hard-water areas where limescale builds quickly. Properties with no regular cleaning usually need a deep clean before a regular schedule starts, and quoting that first clean separately is standard practice.

04 Is a deep clean the same as an end of tenancy clean?

They overlap heavily but are judged differently. A deep clean is judged by the householder living there. An end of tenancy clean is judged by an inventory clerk against a document, in an empty property, with a deposit attached. The end of tenancy standard is stricter and carries more risk, which is why it is normally priced higher.

Deep Clean Checklist

Throughout the property

Kitchen

Bathrooms

Bedrooms and living areas

Quote the deep clean as its own job

What separates a deep clean from a regular clean

Stop printing it

How long a deep clean actually takes

Setting the scope before you start

Frequently asked questions

More free templates

End of Tenancy Cleaning Checklist

Builders Clean Checklist

Cleaning Quote Template

All free templates